Can we please get more flags and banners in armies?

Goatse_Mare

I guess its a minor thing but it'd be so, so much cooler if Total War armies marching on the field looked more like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPVuz9wYrds

In the older titles like Empire and Napoleon, we had multiple standards per unit that actually flapped in the breeze and seemed to move realistically. Then in the games on the newer, "prettier" engines we're back to one guy in each unit holding a tiny, rigid piece of cardboard that both looks terrible and ads virtually nothing to the aesthetic of the army.

It looks like they've at least taken a bit of a step in the right direction (flag-wise) in 3K:TW, but I think there is still room for a large amount of improvement.

dge1

Personally, I don't miss them. They don't add a thing for me.

davedave1124#4773

I wouldn't mind them if they represented how elite a unit is and there is actually a flag bearer rather than a floating flag.

sir_moan_a_lot

yeah, i liked that you could tell how experienced a unit was from the number of smaller banners it ahd, also the banners waved and had unit shapes to them which made it easier to see if something was missile or infantry or cav, they really went down the dumb route with new titles and immersion went out the window, and boy WTF are the Attila banners all about LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL pretty ****.

SirSmite

This is actually something I'm surprised CA didn't add for TW:WH.

It's a universe with an incredibly diverse amount of banners and flags, musicians and officers, and general decorum that is shamefully missing from units. Of course, the reason why we don't see it in-game is possibly for that exact reason. There's just too many.

Still, would love to see some banners waving on the field.

Empirehog

I've been wondering this since Medieval II Total War.

Banners were essential in warfare, especially medieval warfare not just for communication and for army organisation/rallying.

Each Lord / Knight would have their own standard / banner which their retinue would rally behind. Naturally the army with the larger number of banners and flags was considered potentially the larger army, at least in terms of Lords attending.

Sometime a parley would occur prior to battle where the two sides were gather the banners partially to show their strength. This can partially be seen in Kingdom of Heaven and several War of the Roses battle re-enactments in Britain.

Armies do look very bland without them and the floating unit banners are not very immersive.

I know that the new Three Kingdom TW has more physical 3D banners, so I'm hoping any future Medieval 3 Total War games will feature them too. I did like the banners and unit musicians from Empire and Napoleon Total War.